1. Field
The present invention relates to techniques for enhancing the performance of computer systems. More specifically the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling the temperature of a power supply in a computer system.
2. Related Art
Power supplies used in computer systems are typically specified to be able to withstand a limited number of power cycles over their lifetime. This power cycle specification is, in part, due to thermal effects on the power supply as it heats up and cools down when the computer system is power cycled. Power supplies that are specified to undergo a larger number of temperature cycles during their lifetime are typically more expensive. Therefore, the number of power cycles a computer system is designed to undergo during its lifetime can impact the cost of the power supply and hence the cost of the computer system.
Computer system users, including businesses that run servers or data centers, may turn off or reduce the electrical power to parts of their computer system for a variety of reasons including time-varying load on the computer system, electrical supply constraints or cost, maintenance, or other business costs or practical concerns. For these reasons computer system users may power cycle their computer system and therefore temperature cycle its power supply more than the power supply was specified to be able to withstand during the lifetime of the computer system.
Hence, what is needed is a method and apparatus for controlling the temperature of a power supply in a computer system without the above-described problems.